Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of President-elect Paul Biya in the October 7, 2018 presidential election, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril says, “All the Members of the National Assembly join your humble servant to deferentially and sincerely congratulate the President-elect, His Excellency Paul Biya.”
The House Speaker made the declaration in Yaounde on November 2, 2018, as he chaired the opening plenary sitting of the November 2018 ordinary session. He urged Cameroonians to remain vigilant and return to the fold in order to overcome the new challenges that await the country during the new seven-year term of the President of the Republic.
Talking about the presidential election operation, he said, “Cameroonians freely exercised their democracy and our country’s democratic progress was showcased and even admired by all and sundry as evidenced by the scores of congratulatory messages already received by our illustrious President-elect.” Despite the messages that acknowledge that the election was properly conducted, the National Assembly Speaker strongly opposed calls for civil disobedience and division. He declared, “I personally commend the responsible stance that some members of the clergy have taken and which in sharp contrast with the stance of their peers who disregard universal ideals.” He recalled the expected role of religious leaders and said, “I therefore appeal to your collective sense of responsibility.” The House Speaker called on government to crack down attempts to destabilise Cameroon and to identify those who foment disorder in a bid to undermine the happy outcome of the commendable electoral process.
State Budget for 2019
The November 2018 ordinary session of parliament is essentially devoted to the examination and adoption of the 2019 State budget. “Being the first budget under the aegis of the “Great Opportunities”, this 2019 budget should enable the President of the Republic to smoothly implement the social project of this seven-year term of office, the basis on which he has just been re-elected by a significant majority of Cameroonian,” Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril said. He expressed the wish that the budget should address pressing issues such as insecurity, preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations competition Cameroon will host in June 2019 and pursue economic take off policy.
He also said the budget should take into consideration the organisation of legislative and municipal elections that were postponed from taking place in 2018. “The thorny issue of the practicability of our road network must be one of the priorities,” Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril said.
At the start of the plenary sitting a minute of silence was observed in memories of the two Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) MPs. Hon. Eloundou Barnabé from the Lekie Constituency in the Centre Region died on October 28, 2018 while Hon. Dougouf Djonkio Ali of the Mayo-Tsanaga constituency in the Far North Region died on October 31.